Note - This section will focus on training for cycling and other aerobic
sports rather than resistance or strength training.
A focused training program can increase your VO2max by 15 to 30% over a 3 month
period and by up to 50% over 2 years. But the converse is true as well. There
is a drop off in performance and metabolic adaptations within a few weeks
of stopping a regular training regimen although certain physical changes (such as
the number of muscle capillaries and skeletal/cardiac muscle fiber size)
occur more slowly (see detraining below).

Metabolic adaptations facilitate aerobic energy production (from glucose and
glycogen) as well as improving lactic acid removal from the muscle cell. These
changes lead to performance at a higher level
% VO2max for longer periods of time. In addition an increase
in lipid metabolism at any level of exertion results in extra energy Calories
from fat to supplement those from glycogen and glucose metabolism for any specified
level of activity (%VO2max). The net result of these changes? An increase
in your maximal performance - as well as endurance (the ability to
maintain that high level of performance for a longer time interval).

Training also improves the physical structure of the muscle which can then
better withstand the stresses of prolonged exertion. These include strengthening
of the connective tissue between muscle fibers which in turn minimizes the
microtrauma (and post exercise discomfort) that often occur with further training.

Not every training session needs to stress the cardiovascular
system. In fact a successful program needs a balance of aerobic stress
and rest to allow mental and physical recovery
minimizing the risk of overtraining and burnout. It has
also been demonstrated that a focused rest in the week prior to
competition improves performance.

Before we get into the the details of training,
let's remember the first rule of a successful program - starting from with a
good training base. If it is early in the riding season, or you have just
decided to get back into riding after a period off the bike, the key to
minimizing injury while preparing to get the most out of the training tips
that follow, is a good mileage base. You may be fortunate enough to live
in warmer, dryer climes, or been able to drag yourself to a spin class all winter,
but if not, the first step in your training program is to log unstressed
(no intervals, no sprinting up hills) miles on your bike (and body). It's not
that intervals or hills are forbidden - but not too hard or too often.
Remember, you're banking foundation miles for the season. The best strategy early
in the training year is to let the terrain and how you
feel (perceived exertion) dictate when to add
additional effort. If, at the end of the long ride, you feel you could go out
and put in a few more miles - you are probably doing it just right. A good
target is a base of ~500 miles - and as a rule of thumb, don't
increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% (over the prior week) as you get
there.

TRAINING INTENSITY

Is more better? Not necessarily. The optimum training intensity varies by a
few percent between individuals (that's where a coach can be helpful in
working with you to find the extra few % that gives a performance advantage
to an elite athlete).

There are 3 levels of intensity to consider.

Interval training - which is 30 - 45 seconds of intense, high level
aerobic/anaerobic output. At least 2 or 3 days of focused intervals as a minimum,
although one can also do lower level intervals even on a rest day.

longer rides at your lactate threshold. These
train you for those longer rides at a high %VO2max.

And finally there are recovery days. Even on these days one can do mini intervals.
But they are really meant to give your systems a rest and time to recover.

It is generally accepted that aerobic improvement occurs at >85% of your
VO2max (approximately 90% of your max. heart rate), and although REGULAR
training is needed, excessive training above this level only increases
the chance of injury and burnout without a corresponding benefit in cardiovascular
(or musculoskeletal) adaptation. Lower
levels of exercise - 60% maximum heart rate for 45 minutes or 70% maximum heart
rate for 20 minutes - will modestly improve (or at least maintain) general
cardiovascular conditioning. The use of the "long slow distance" approach,
where your maximum heart rate is kept at or below 60 to 80% VO2max will
not improve performance for high level aerobic events but is instead
a strategy to prepare your musculoskeletal system for endurance training alone.
A West Virginia U. study assigned 15 women to either a low intensity (132
beats per minute) or high intensity (163 bpm) group exercising both for 45 minutes,
4 times a week. There was an increase in VO2max for members of the high
intensity group, but not the low intensity one.

TRAINING DURATION

The optimum length of a training session depends to a great degree on the intensity.
Ten minutes of 70% maximum heart rate will be of some benefit, but 30 to 40 minutes
are even better. Does that mean 60 minutes gives you a proportionally greater benefit?
That is less clear, and it seems logical that at some point the negative effects
of exercise to break down and injure muscle tissue outweighs the cardiovascular
benefits.

Does 30 minutes of 80% MHR equate to 40 minutes at 70% i.e. increase the
intensity to compensate for decreasing the duration? For
endurance training perhaps, but not for improving your VO2max.

As proof of an upper limit for the benefits of aerobic training, a group of
swimmers training 1.5 hours per day was compared to a group training with two
equivalent 1.5 hour sessions. There was no difference in the final performance,
power, or endurance between the two groups. For endurance aerobic training
(continuous, not intervals) at less than 90% maximum heart rate it makes the
most sense to look at the duration of the planned event, and train:

at the same level of anticipated performance (percent of VO2max)

for a duration (distance) equal to 110 - 120% of the planned event

DO SIX 1/2 HOUR RIDES = ONE 3 HOUR TRAINING RIDE?

Q. As I have a rather
flexible schedule I was wondering which would be
most advantageous to build my endurance and fitness during the winter months
of shorter daylight hours.. 5 days a week of 2 - 3 hour rides or 2 days 4 - 5
hour rides and recovery rides in between?

A second part is that I have had beginning riders ask a more extreme
version: "What if I rode once a week for 2 hours vs four 1/2 hour rides, which
would be best."

A. It all comes down to the purpose of your riding/training.

If you are training for endurance (length of time you will be sitting on the
seat of the bike) you need to work up to riding at least one longer ride
(near that time duration of that planned ride) a week. Thus if you are training
for 3 hour ride, you need to work towards riding a single 3 hour training
ride. 6 one half hour rides will not get your body (muscles, shoulders, butt)
use to 3 straight hours on the bike like a single 3 hour ride will.

If you want to ride faster, then 2 one half hour rides at 80 - 90% VO2max may
be almost as good a single one 1 hour ride (at the same clip).

Studies indicate that maximum aerobic conditioning (measured as an increase in
VO2max) occurs with 3 workout days per week. So unless you are trying to burn
Calories to lose weight, or are working to get the musculoskeletal system (back,
shoulders) in shape for a long endurance event by increasing mileage on the
bike, it is better to take 2 to 3 days per week off the bike to allow for muscle
and ligament repair and decrease the risk of cumulative stress resulting in an
increase in training injuries. Interestingly, it appears that the 3 days per week
will maximize aerobic conditioning equally in any combination - i.e.
3 days in a row with 4 off, alternating days of exercise/rest, etc.

Q. I was reading the other day in Joe Friels Cyclists Training Bible
that he feels training twice a day is better because you release
a second dose of growth hormone during the day. I haven't found any
literature behind his comment. Have you got in more info about training twice a day
compared to once? - J.

A.I am not aware of any literature supporting twice a day training other than
as a "work around" for a training schedule limitations (such as work commitments).
In fact I would suspect that if there is any effect it would more likely be a negative
rather compared to a single longer session.

MIXED RESISTANCE AND AEROBIC TRAINING

Anecdotes abound about the negative impact of combining resistance and aerobic
training on the same day. This phenomena,
called "exercise antagonism" is described in this
NY Times article.

Although resistance and aerobic training impact the muscle cells unique and different ways,
scientific studies suggest
that there is little difference ..."within muscles whether
the men performed both aerobic and resistance training or aerobic training
alone." And it apparently made no difference as to the order i.e. if one does their
aerobic workout first that day - or the resistance training.

For those of you, especially triathletes, who have complex training
schedules, this removes one additional worry factor about the interference of different
training modalities and should make your planning easier.

Studies on maintenance of the benefits of aerobic training revealed that a 2/3
reduction in training frequency i.e. going from 6 days a week to 2 days a week
(keeping the same maximal intensity for each individual workout) maintained aerobic
gains. Thus you can cut a 60 minute, 6 per week program to similar 60 minute
sessions 2 times a week and maintain your aerobic fitness level, BUT you CANNOT
maintain a similar fitness level by cutting the intensity of the 60 minute
session and keeping them at 6 times per week. If intensity is held constant,
the frequency and duration of exercise required to maintain fitness are much
less than the effort needed to attain that fitness level in the first place.

METHODS OF TRAINING - anaerobic intensity versus aerobic intensity

Training needs to be structured for the intensity and duration of the planned sporting
event. Anaerobic (oxygen independent) exercise is generally brief (less than
60 seconds in duration) and is fueled by the anaerobic energy pathways in the
cell (ATP, creatine phosphate). The classic anaerobic sport is weightlifting.
Sprint activities also use anaerobic pathways. If the sprint lasts more than 5
or 10 seconds, lactic acid production (and clearance) also becomes an limiting
factor due to the negative effects of lactic acid on muscle performance. Training
focused on anaerobic sessions will enhance the ATP and CP energy transfer pathways
in the cell as well as improving the tolerance for and clearance of lactic acid.

Aerobic training (important for cycling and other sporting events lasting more than
60 seconds) provides its major benefits through improvement of the cardiovascular and
oxygen delivery systems to the muscle cell. These include improvements in both cardiac
output (amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute) and changes at the muscle
fiber level that increase the removal or extraction of oxygen from the blood cells
in the capillaries. In addition, there is an improvement in the efficiency of
the cellular metabolic pathways which convert glucose into ATP in the presence of oxygen.

There is always a combination of ongoing anaerobic and aerobic metabolism in the
muscle cell. As the level of exertion (measured by %VO2max) increases,
there is a transition within the muscle cell from this balance of an almost entirely
aerobic metabolism (and minimal anaerobic metabolism) towards an energy production
process with a more anaerobic component. There are always areas of
relatively lower perfusion within a muscle - and these areas are thus more likely
to be functioning anaerobically. So even at 50 to 60% VO2max some anaerobic
conditioning is occurring. But at 85% VO2max
(the "anaerobic threshold" for most individuals) there is an abrupt increase
in anaerobic metabolism throughout the entire muscle. Even though some cross
training of the anaerobic systems takes place during exercise at 60 to 80% VO2max, a
training program for sprint performance needs to include several exercise sessions per
week above 85% VO2max. Long slow distance may be good training for aerobic, endurance
events, but it will not improve your sprint performance.

A good training program will be designed to include both aerobic and anaerobic
exercise sessions. It is the art of finding the balance of the
types of exercise (aerobic vs anaerobic; interval training, continuous
training, and fartlek training) in your overall program which will determine
its effectiveness for the competitive event for which you are training.

"Doing intervals" refers to sandwiching periods of intense physical activity between
periods of recovery. Intervals develop your ability to maintain longer periods of
exertion at your peak performance levels - and get there more quickly. One study
(in runners) demonstrated that continuous, maximal performance levels could be
sustained for only 0.8 miles before exhaustion occurred, while a similar level
of peak exertion could be maintained for a cumulative distance (duration) of
over 4 miles when an interval approach was used.

If one is training for sprints of up to 20 seconds in duration (which do not involve
significant lactic acid buildup and basically are training the ATP and CP energy systems),
it is recommended that the duration of the training interval be 1 to
5 seconds over the usual best time for the sprint distance (with exercise intensity or
maximum effort being that of the event for which you are training. For example,
if one is training for a 100 yard dash, and has a personal best of 12 seconds,
the training interval should be a 13 or 14 seconds sprint at the same pace
(ignoring the total distance being covered in the 13 or 14 seconds) with a rest
(lower intensity activity) period 3 times longer than the training interval
recommended for recovery - 42 seconds in this example.

Using intervals to train for longer sprints (up to several minutes) produces
significant lactic acid buildup in the muscles along with stressing the anaerobic
metabolic pathways. To train for these longer
distances (several minutes of maximum output), it is suggested that the distance
for which you are training be subdivided, and the training interval effort
focused on that shorter distance. For example, if one is training for a personal
best in a mile ride on the bike, and the best time for the entire mile is 3
minutes on the bike (with the best 1/4 mile segment being 30 seconds and the
best 1/2 mile segment being 80 seconds) the training interval could be set at
either 1/4 or 1/2 mile and the time for this training interval set at your
personal best minus 3 to 5 seconds. In this example the training interval
might be chosen as 1/4 mile with a goal of a 25 second time. And the rest interval
should be 2 times the training interval (as lactic acid clearance does not
require the same recovery time as recharging the intracellular metabolic machinery).

A risk to be considered is that training program drop out rates can double
when intervals are used, so they should be used judiciously. Don't use intervals
all year round, limit them to twice a week during your peak season, and separate
each session by at least 48 hours to allow adequate recovery. If your long ride
is on the weekend, Tuesday and Thursday make the most sense for your interval training.
The goal should be at least 10 to 20 minutes of hard pedaling per training
interval session, not counting warm up, recovery, or cool down. A good place to
start is with 5 minutes of peak effort per daily interval session.

Another approach is to use one day a week for short intervals (i.e. five - 60 second
and five - 90 second intervals) and a second for longer intervals (two - 3 minute
and two - 5 minute intervals). Allow 3 to 5 minutes for recovery between intervals
and don't forget a 20 to 30 minute warm up and a 15 minute cool down. It has
been shown that as few as a half dozen 5 minute intervals (separated by one
minute recoveries) during a 300 km training week will improve both time trial
and peak performance.

If you have a heart rate monitor, an alternative is to key intervals to your maximum
heart rate. Ride your intervals at 80 to 90% of your maximum heart rate and spin easily
until your heart rate drops to 60 to 65% of maximum.

CONTINUOUS TRAINING (LSD)

Continuous training refers to aerobic activity performed at 60 to 90% VO2max for an hour
or more. When done at the lower end of this range, it is often referred to as long, slow
distance (LSD) training. This level of training is ideal for those starting off an
exercise program, those wishing to maximize Caloric expenditure for weight loss purposes,
and as an option for an active "rest" day in a weekly aerobic training program.

This level of exertion can be maintained for hours at slightly less intensity than
you may have used in personal competitive events in the past, and is particularly
suited for endurance event training. It is thought to have a preferential
benefit for the slow twitch muscle fibers (as opposed to the fast twitch fibers
used in sprint interval training). It is suggested that a distance of 2 to 5
times the actual competitive event be chosen for this daily segment of a
weekly training program.

FARTLEK TRAINING

This form of training is a combination of interval and LSD training. It is not as
structured as an interval program and is based on a personal perception of exertion
rather than specific time or distance intervals. It mimics the "sprint to the
line" that is part of many road races. While there is little scientific proof of
its benefits it makes sense physiologically; and psychologically it adds a feeling of
freedom to those long slow days. How many sprints, and for how long?? The choice is up
to you, but the intervals are probably in the neighborhood of those used for interval
training.

SPRINTS OR DISTANCE?

People usually are changing their training program for one of two reasons -
they want to ride further or they want to ride faster.

If you are training for the goal of riding a long event, and your speed is just fine,
it is important to make sure you are putting in the weekly miles (at any intensity).
No intervals needed. It is about getting your body use to sitting on the bike for longer
periods of time.

If you want to increase your top speed (MPH), which means you need to increase
your VO2max, you will want to train your cardiovascular system (heart and lungs) with
at least 2 days of intervals a week, with the intervals increasing your heart rate
to at least 90% of your max heart rate).

If you want to improve both you need a combination of intervals
and longer rides in your weekly program. Doing more than 2 days of
intervals a week increases the rate of training burnout and injury -
so I suggest limiting interval (>90% VO2max) training to 2 days a
week.

THE BOTTOM LINE - KEY POINTS FOR AN AEROBIC TRAINING PROGRAM

A mileage base of 500 miles before adding interval training
is the key to minimizing the risk of training injuries.

A training regimen should be designed based on both the intensity
as well as the duration of the planned event.

Long slow distance training is important at the beginning of the training
season (while developing the training base) and in preparation for
very long endurance events.

Maximum aerobic conditioning (increasing VO2max) occurs with 3 workout days
per week ridden at or above 85% VO2max (which equates to approximately 90% Max
Heart Rate). Additional training days should be at a slower
pace to allow recovery and build musculoskeletal strength.

Interval training should comprise at least 2 out of the 7 days
of a training week, but lower levels of interval training can be done even on
"rest" days or recovery rides.

Exercising at less than 85% VO2max will still improve general cardiovascular
conditioning (although at a slower rate) as well as overall musculoskeletal
tolerance for exercise. It is suggested that one day a week be allotted to a
long slow training ride equal to a distance of 2 to 5 times the actual competitive event.

In training for endurance events (to be ridden at less than 90% maximum heart
rate), one day a week should be at a level of exertion equal to your anticipated
event performance (%VO2max, %MHR) and with a ride equal in length to that of the
event + 10 to 20%.

Based on the above principles, the following outlines the design of
an ideal weekly training program with the 7 days
including:

(500 mile training base at the beginning of the season).

3 days of high level cardiovascular activity (85 - 90 % VO2max), 2 of which
may be interval training days)

a 1 day training ride equal to the duration of the event and at a similar intensity

a 1 day LONG slow recovery ride

the last 2 days should be spent off the bike or used for a short slow ride
to "loosen up"

Aim for a total time commitment per week of 10 hours. It's interesting that two of America's
all-time great road riders, Greg LeMond and Connie Carpenter, both recommend the same total
weekly training time -- 10 hours -- for fast recreational riders. They say if you devote
that much to a mix to distance, speed, climbing and easy rides for recovery, you're likely
to come close to your potential. And time on the bike seems to be the
key, not the miles ridden. LeMond's Law is occasionally referred to in bike magazines. To
paraphrase: when you record your daily workout, make your key entry the time you rode
not how far you rode. The reason, says Greg, "twenty miles into a headwind is a lot
different than 20 miles with a tailwind". The same holds for a ride in the hills vs. a
ride on flat ground.

For most recreational roadies, 7-10 hours of riding per week is plenty for steady
improvement if you have an intelligent training program. Wouldn't more be better? If you
do try to add in extra hours, you risk bothy overtraining as well as the extra stress
produced by more time on the bike. Both physical stress on your body and the pressure it
puts on responsibilities to family, friends, and profession.

SPECIAL CASE - TEAM EVENTS/MULTIPLE CYCLES

Team events where each individual does multiple repetitions are a special case. The
following question illustrates my thoughts.

Q.I am taking part in a 24 hour mountain bike event in July. There will
be 5 of us in a team, so we will be taking it in turns on a course that
takes approximately 40 minutes. That means we will have roughly 240 minute
breaks between rides. The question is how do you train for that?

My main concern is the disjointed nature of the event. I have an idea what
to do to train for a 6 hour event or a 40 minute event, but as we will be
racing hard for 40 minutes, 8 or 9 times in 24 hours do I:

Focus on the speed/high intensity aspect

Focus on the endurance aspect

Mix it up so I do short intense rides and 5 or 6 hour rides?

A. I would plan your weekly training program as if this was
to be a 40 minute, high intensity event, with the additional focus being
on what you need to do to maximize your recovery in the 4 hour break between
"events".

I'd estimate the total mileage you think you would be riding in the 24
hours - and then be sure your baseline mileage (weekly) supports this
distance. Train with your emphasis on intervals to improve
performance for these 40 minute segments, and be sure you have one long ride
a week at lower intensity equal to the total miles of the event + 10 - 15%.

Be sure you have maximized your glycogen reserves to start - and
replace your expended Calories after each event using a liquid
replacement as much as possible to minimize delays in gastric emptying
and absorption. And be sure you replace sweat loses - dehydration over
the 24 hours is probably the biggest risk to your performance.
( nutrition for performance, the interval ride
section).

READER'S QUESTIONS

Q. I am a 30 year old dentist who is practicing in Canada. I have just got into
cycling. I have been out about 6 times so far, I have been averaging 24 Km/h with some
hills and flat roads. On the weekends I am out, I have been able to do a 60 Km ride by
myself and I felt pretty good after. I notice normally that when I first start I get
really tired after about 15 minutes and then for some reason I am good to go again for
another 30-40 kms. I was wondering if you had any tips for me.

A. I think you are describing the warm up period that many riders experience - the
first 5 miles, or 15 minutes, of a ride when the body cardiovascular and musculo skeletal systems
are getting up to speed. It gets more noticeable with age and some riders are more bothered
by it than others. I'm not aware of any shortcuts to avoid it - just listen to your body
and don;t push too hard or your injury rate will go up